The Single Story on BBC Radio 2

[paul jh]

Very interesting d.o.c.umentary on Radio 2 at 11:30 Tuesday nights on the history of the single. I thought of Mariana as they mentioned people listening to new records in the listening booths in the record stores.

I couldn't quite understand what they were saying about the size of hole in the middle. In the US, we always had the large hole that required a 45 rpm adaptor. Much much later it changed to the same size as an album/LP. Did Britain have the wider 45 rpm hole or always the same size as an LP?

[Marian]

It was always the smaller hole in the UK Paul, as far as I know.
Marian.

[Lena & Harry Smith]

We still have a lot 45 rpms with the larger hole and the centre piece that fits in to accomodate playing them on the standard music equipment.
These 45s came out of jukeboxes.

[Marian]

I always thought they were from the U.S, Lena and Harry, but I forgot about jukeboxes of course!
Our stereos always had the extra round plastic insert to play them anyway, so it was never a problem, unless you lost it!
Marian

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Even those centre pieces came in different patterns. Some wouldn't fit at all.

[mariana44]

I can remember buying 45's with the large hole in the middle, and having to use adaptors. My record player has a special little groove to keep the adaptor in-but I have still managed to lose it. !!

[john]

Same here Marian.

[Gray]

I remember buying ex-jukebox singles from York market, for a very resonable price.
The trader would sell for pennies a little plastic 'star' shaped adapter that you could push permanantly into the hole.

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Yes , that's right and some are completely round and the most annoying thing was when some wouldn't grip and go right through the hole.